Dreaming of Primavera in Italia

Lately I have received grief from several friends about my lack of recent posts. Over a month ago I lamented that it had been a month since the previous one. Now it has been five weeks! My only excuse is that it has been an incredibly busy spring.

Having said that, the garden is still a mess and the bathroom is still in progress but progress has been made on both fronts. In fact, HOURS and DAYS have been spent trying to get both finished before we take off for primavera in Italia. We are leaving later this spring than we have before but we are also staying later than usual. Our departure date is April 27 and we will return June 23. We are mentally ready to leave NOW. I keep looking at the weather in Lucca and seeing high temperatures in the low 60s. It just makes me ache to be there. Even worse is seeing the pictures posted on the other expats in Italy blogs I follow. However, one of the advantages of arriving around May 1 is that the weather should be quite nice by then. We are really looking forward to being there into June when many of the local sagre (festivals) take place as well as being in Partigliano for the local marcia podistica (organized walk).

Spring is coming slowing to the Puget Sound region. Again this weekend the temperatures have been cold. Yesterday it rained steadily but today is a classic March beauty. The skies are blue with only a ruffle of puffy white clouds hanging over the Olympic Mountains. This morning the snow level was quite low but now the sunshine has melted whatever was clinging to the lower slopes. There is a crisp breeze blowing from the north. Lots of birds, mostly robins and juncos, are chirping and fluttering about. Daffodils are nodding graciously and the grape hyacinths are poking their heads above ground. A few days ago I saw that a chipmunk making a mad dash across our parking area and later another one was up on the deck circling the Swiss chard pot. It looks like it should be warmer than it actually is but winter does not want to let go this year.

A few days ago we had a brilliant sunset and I caught this picture of a tug and barge heading north.


After enduring an exceptionally dry January and February (which meant little new snow in the mountains), March has been an excellent month fro skiing. We missed the best weekend of the year (3/7-8) because of other commitments but managed to ski three days at Alpental since then. Last weekend we took my brother’s Charlie’s children, Dano, Kate and Peter, up to my parents’ ski cabin with us. Dano and Kate skied on Saturday and Sunday with Dom and I. On Sunday, Charlie skied with us as well. It was a lot of fun and both the conditions and the weather cooperated pretty well. Peter, the youngest, has thus far refused to learn to ski but I decided that next time he will be forced to participate in the traditional family activity!


Dano and Kate on the hill.


Cool kids after playing out in the snow.

Just to prove progress is being made on the bathroom here are a couple of pictures taken yesterday. I was really thrilled to finally get to the tiling. It is something I actually enjoy doing. Taping and applying the joint compound to the wallboard turned out better than I expected. It is one of those tasks best left to the professionals but I managed to whine my way through it. The reference book we used (Drywall by Myron R. Ferguson) really helped. After sanding the joint compound I applied three coats of primer/sealer followed by two coats of paint. The yellow turned out to be a bit brighter than we anticipated but the addition of white tile in the tub surround, darker tile on the floor and dark cabinets should tone it down a bit. Also the bare bulbs tend to give any paint job a harsh aspect. We really like the way the white subway tile is turning out. The row of accent tile was hand carried from Italy five or six years ago. Nineteen pieces were left over from our bathroom redo and we could not foresee another use for it there. So, two houses later on this side of the Atlantic, we are finally attaching it to a wall. Dom jokes that the entire bathroom was planned around that tile and there is some truth to that.




Of course, the two end walls of the tub surround still need to be tiled plus the floor. Dom needs to install the tub faucet, drain, and shower head. Then the toilet, vanity, linen cabinet, lights and towel bars will be hung. After completing a whole laundry list of other items we hope to have it completely finished by the time we leave in four weeks.

One of the things I am really missing about Italy right now is the food. In particular I miss the handful of favorite restaurants we patronize there. Eating out on Whidbey Island is a bit of a dicey proposition. While there are a number of good, inexpensive spots we find we do not eat out as often here as we do while in Italy. Even what I cook at home does not seem quite the same. As I have said before, American ingredients do not taste the same as Italian ingredients. Insalata caprese (sliced tomatoes and fresh mozzarella) is nearly impossible to duplicate here. Pork chops taste better over there and veal chops are available without going to a specialty store. Let’s not even talk about pizza. I dream of sitting at Ristorante La Fonte waiting for the pizza maker to pull the crisp, bubbly confection from the depths of the wood fired oven…


Brasato

This recipe is a classic winter dish. It seems like I should be doling out springtime recipes but this has been promised to a number of people. It is a fabulous option for feeding a crowd or it makes a wonderful meal to eat now and freeze some leftovers. It is actually better if it is made ahead and the reheated.

1 750ml. bottle hearty red wine (such as Cabernet, Zinfandel or Syrah)
3 Tbs. olive oil
2 3 lb. beef chuck pot roasts
1 large onion, chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
1 large stalk celery, chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled, smashed
1 heaping Tbs. tomato paste
1 14 oz. can beef broth
2 large sprigs fresh sage
2 large sprigs fresh parsley
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp. whole black peppercorns

Preheat oven to 300ºF and adjust rack to lower third.

Simmer wine in large saucepan over medium heat until reduced to 1 cup, about 30 minutes.

In a heavy, wide, ovenproof pot heat oil over medium heat. Sprinkle roasts with salt and pepper. Add 1 roast to pot and cook until brown on all sides, about 13 minutes. Transfer to large plate; repeat with remaining roast. Spoon fat from pot.

Add onion, carrot, celery and garlic to pot. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sauté over medium-high heat until vegetables begin to brown, about 6 minutes. Add tomato paste, stir 1 minute. Add broth; bring to boil. Add sage, parsley, bay leaf and peppercorns. Return roasts and any accumulated juices to pot, tucking roasts to fit in single layer. Pour reduced red wine over; cover.

Transfer roasts to oven and braise 1 hour 15 minutes. Turn roast over. Cover and braise until roasts are tender, about 1 hour 15 minutes longer.

The original recipe I used stopped here. I usually do the following:

Refrigerate overnight. Next day, remove roasts and all solid fats. Put juices and vegetable bits in a blender and mix until smooth. Transfer to a saucepan and make gravy using several tablespoons flour and water combined into a smooth paste. Return roasts to original pot, cover with gravy and heat in oven until hot.

I usually serve with roast vegetables (potatoes, onions, parsnips, carrots, Brussel sprouts, etc.—any combination tossed in olive oil, salt and pepper—roasted at 450ºF for 30 minutes or until potatoes are crispy at edges).

This also works well in a crock pot adjusting the liquids as necessary.

Winter Activity

I cannot believe it has been over a month since my last post! It must mean Dom and I have been really busy. It has felt like that but it does not seem like we have much to show for it.

After a very cold, snowy, wet December and early January, the weather here has been very dry. For several weeks there was often light cloud color (similar to the above photo of freighter moving new cranes to Seattle waterfront) but lately it has been clear. This has made for great gardening weather but not so good skiing weather. The clear weather means the mornings are cold and crisp and the afternoons are positively balmy. Today they are expecting a high of around 60 degrees in Seattle. Here on Whidbey Island it will not get that hot but I still plan to move the patio furniture out of the garage and onto the deck. Usually we leave it out there all winter but it never made it back after the big painting project last August.

The local wildlife has been more active the past few weeks. We see deer frequently along the sides of the roads. Signs of smaller creatures (chipmunks and rabbits) are evident in the garden, i.e. nibbled plants. There seem to be dozens of bird species flitting about.

This is the time of the year when the bald eagles seem to be most active. I think they are mating, nest building and staking out territory. Yesterday, two or three were chirruping away, gliding from tree to tree and generally having a jolly time. Actually, their chirruping cries almost sound like whining. After a while it can be rather grating. One of my favorite sights is the eagles flying along the water's edge. Since our house is situated on top of a bluff they are often below the level of the windows and deck. They are really spectacular in flight.

On Wednesday I went to the Northwest Flower and Garden Show. It was spectacular as always but it is sad that this might be the show's last year. Hopefully someone will buy it from the retiring owners. There is always lots of inspiration. I have been wanting to put a fountain in similar to those above but only a single, much shorter column. I have the perfect spot for it at one end of our new flagstone patio so I am starting to gather the materials. We will see how it turns out.

This is a picture of our 16 ft. car trailer. When I started pruning a few weeks ago it was empty. Now I actually have several satellite piles. Pretty soon we will have to make another dump run. One would think that with over an acre of land we would have some place to put all this but really we don't. Yesterday I was carefully cutting out blackberry brambles (the really big, thick stalk ones) and dabbing vine killer on the cut ends. I am hoping this treatment stops them dead or at least slows them down considerably. It is impossible to totally eradicate them and they make one a believer in the idea that vines will take over the earth one day.

The bathroom project is coming along. Believe it or not, the righthand photo shows considerable progress but most of it is hidden under the floor. Dom spent a lot of time "down under." He actually cut a hole in the floor to make it easier to access the crawl space. He is now working on the electical items (lights, fans, outlets). Once that is done it will be on to wallboard. The photo on the left shows the current location of the new bathtub. I might have to plant something around it if it stays there too long.

Here is one of my current favorite recipes. It is a tomato tapenade/bruschetta topping that is really easy to make and easy to adjust to personal taste. It makes a lot but seems to keep in the fridge for a couple weeks. I have also frozen it successfully.

My favorite way to eat it is with crispy toast rounds made from a narrow whole wheat baguette. I slice the bread thin, lay the rounds on a cookie sheet, drizzle them with a little olive oil and put them in a 450 degree oven for about 7-8 minutes. Then I turn the rounds over and bake for another 4-5 minutes until well browned. Let cool and store in a plastic bag. For Pacific Northwest residents: Fred Meyer sells bags of day old, pre-sliced rounds. They are a little thicker than I like but buying the baguettes already sliced take most of the work out of making them.

Other ways to use this is as a pasta sauce (add olive oil) or on top of other vegetables (hot or cold). I also like to roast eggplant rounds (similar to doing toast above) and for lunch I top with a teaspoon of the bruschetta topping.

Easy Bruschetta Topping

1/2 to 3/4 cups raw onion

1-2 cloves garlic (or more!)

1 can quartered artichoke hearts, drained

1 small can black olives or about 1/2 cup pitted olives (any variety)

1 to 1 1/2 cups grilled peppers (I usually make my own but can be purchased in jars)

1 can fire roasted diced tomatoes

optional: 1 green pepperoncino or up to 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

Puree everything in a food processor. I start with the hardest items (onion/garlic) and work to the softest. Do not over process. Buon appetito!

Skiing, Snowshoeing and Ravioli di Zucca

Mt. Rainier from Mission Ridge Ski Area

I cannot believe it has been two weeks since my last post. Life seems to be on fast forward since New Year's. There has not been anything special to report except possibly my fabulous talk last Wednesday on the organized walks we do in Italy (see http://das.danteseattle.org/ for more about DAS)! I had a great time doing it and it was well received. That same day we had a great lunch at Tutta Bella (an authentic Italian pizzeria) and later stopped at Best Plumbing on Stone Way where we (sort of) finalized the fixtures for our bathroom remodel. Dom has been spending a lot of time on the latter project and is making good headway. The room is gutted and the door has been moved over 4 inches.

View of gutted bathroom

Last weekend I went to Wenatchee to visit my sister, Patty. On Saturday we skied at Mission Ridge with our friend Deb and her sister Cindy. The conditions were excellent--groomed hard pack and sunny skies. It had been seven years since Patty last skied but she still looked fabulous floating down the hill. What fun to once more be out on the hill with her!

Patty with goggles askew

Lou, Patty, Cindy and Deb

On Sunday the four of us plus two of Patty's Wenatchee girlfriends went to the ski hill at Leavenworth and snowshoed. Everyone had tried it before except me. In fact, they all own their own snowshoes. I found it really easy but still a bit tiring since a wider than normal stance is required. Two hours was plenty for me. The trails were frozen solid so we probably could have walked around them without the snowshoes but it was still fun to try it. I would like to do it again in soft, fluffy snow.

Snowshoeing

Since my last post I promised a fan I would provide my recipe for Squash ravioli. I am a big fan of ravioli di zucca and this was not too difficult to make. However, be warned, any sort of ravioli takes several hours to put together. If you try it, let me know what you think.

Squash Ravioli

1 cup cooked, pureed squash*

1/3 cup unseasoned bread crumbs

1/2 cup egg substitute or 1 extra large egg plus 1 egg yolk

1/3 cup freshly grated Grana Padano or Parmigiano cheese

Salt and fresh ground pepper

Nutmeg

Mix first four ingredients thoroughly. Add salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste. Set aside.

2 cups all purpose flour

3/4 cup egg substitute or three extra large eggs

Pinch of salt

Prepare pasta using above ingredients. If unfamiliar with pasta making techniques refer to this demo for more information. Stretch pasta sheet to 1/16 inch thick or last setting on pasta machine. Assembly and shape of ravioli depends on type of cutter used. I use a round cutter.**

To assemble ravioli I lay 3-4 inch wide sheets on the counter and drop about 1 tsp. filling every 1-1 1/2 inches. I fold sheet over and cut with ravioli cutter. Do not try to reuse scraps for ravioli but can be cut smaller and frozen for use in soup. Completed ravioli can be laid on a cookie sheet liberally sprinkled with flour. Top single layer of ravioli with more flour and a sheet of wax or parchment paper. Continue layering ravioli like this. Makes about 60-80 pieces. Cook immediately or set entire cookie sheet in freezer. When ravioli are frozen drop in plastic bag and return to freezer. Can be kept frozen for 1-2 months.

Butter

Freshly grated Grana or Parmigiano cheese

Freshly chopped sage

To cook ravioli bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add salt just before adding ravioli. Cook 1 to 3 minutes. Leave in another minute if cooking frozen ravioli. Drain well and top with melted butter into which chopped, fresh sage has been added and freshly grated Grana or Parmigiano cheese. If serving a large amount of ravioli layer butter and cheese between the ravioli on a platter. Do not try to toss as ravioli will fall apart.

*I used cubed butternut squash, cooked it in the microwave and then mashed it well. In a pinch one could probably use canned pumpkin.

**Ravioli cutters and other Italian kitchen gadgets PLUS my favorite cookbooks are available under La Cucina Italiana at my Amazon store. Click on the sidebar link to the left.

Happy New Year! Buon Appetito!

Some time ago I promised to pass on my favorite Italian recipes. Beginning today I will try to give you a new one every week.

I love this hearty mushroom sauce. It makes a rather large batch but that is okay since it is versatile--the perfect pasta sauce for cold winter nights, a great crostini spread or the base for hearty mushroom soup. Porcini mushrooms are both a delicacy and a staple of Tuscan cooking. They are prized when they are fresh but are readily available dried in Italian supermarkets. This recipe calls for dried porcini.* If you have difficulty obtaining them outside Italy you could use another type of dried mushroom or replace them with another cup of fresh mushrooms plus another half cup of bouillion.

It takes a little while to make but you should have enough for a big pot of pasta plus leftovers to freeze. I have kept it for up to a week in the refrigerator.

Thick Mushroom Sauce

Makes enough for two pounds of pasta.

About 1 c. dried porcini, cut in small pieces (I used a pair of scissors!)
1 cube porcini mushroom bouillon (or chicken bouillion)
1-1 1/2 c. boiling water
1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 tbs. dried parsley (or use 1 1/2 tbs. fresh chopped parsley but add it at the very end)

In a small bowl combine above ingredients and let sit for at least 20 minutes. Stir to make sure the bouillon dissolves completely.

3/4 pound fresh mushrooms, preferably brown crimini or portobello mushrooms, grated or chopped in a food processor. Set aside.

1 tbs. butter
4-5 tbs. extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves chopped finely

In a large saute pan, heat butter and oil on medium. Add garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes. Add chopped fresh mushrooms and mix well. Cook until mushroom liquid evaporates from pan. Add bowl of dried mushrooms, water, bouillon, etc. Turn heat up to med-high and cook for about 10 minutes. Most of the liquid should evaporate. If using fresh parsley add it just before you remove sauce from the heat.

If serving with pasta, time the cooking of the pasta (penne or rigatoni work well but I particularly like egg fettucine) so that both are done about the same time. Mix a couple of tablespoons of the pasta water with the sauce. Mix drained pasta with sauce and return to heat for about one minute. If the sauce is too thick add more olive oil. If desired, top with grated parmigiano cheese.

For crostini spread, cook mushroom mixture a little longer, until it is pretty dry but not so long that it starts to stick to the pan. It will get thicker as it cools. Serve with toasted bread rounds that have been brushed with olive oil. It is also good with whole wheat melba toast.

For mushroom soup add cream or milk when mixture is still very runny. Let simmer 10 minutes. Add fresh parsley just before serving.

Buon appetito!

*Dried porcini mushrooms are something I always bring back from Italy. They also make a great gift for foodies as they are light and much cheaper in Italy than in the U.S. Be sure and buy them at a regular grocery store. The tourist shops always charge premium prices.